News Brief

TV Guide Canada's weekly "Nelson Ratings"
Nelson Branson revies last week's soaps, gives this week's viewing cheat sheet, and names his top-rated actors and shows!

FOX 411: P&G soaps ratings slide
"The ratings dropped once again last week for CBS’s AS THE WORLD TURNS without star Martha Byrne. Of course, there are some who think CBS and sponsor Procter & Gamble are simply trying to drain their audiences and cancel this show and GUIDING LIGHT. It would be a unique approach. The latter show continues its own ratings descent thanks to its piss-poor production values"

AUDIO: Interview with Cady McClain
Cady McClain visited "Buzzworthy Radio" last night to discuss her roles as Dixie on ALL MY CHILDREN and Rosanna on AS THE WORLD TURNS, her music and to speak with fans.

Stuntcasting a quick fix for ratings
ABC's UGLY BETTY cast Lindsay Lohan (ex-Alli, ANOTHER WORLD) as a former high school rival of the show's eponymous lead, played by America Ferrera.

"Lindsay was interested in doing TV," says series creator Silvio Horta. "I thought she'd be a great fit with the show. She appeared briefly in the finale this season in flashback, and then we'll see her in five episodes in season three starting in September."

But increased viewership alone isn't the only reason shows opt for the unanticipated guest star. Achieving verisimilitude was what brought former CBS newsman Dan Rather to ABC's DIRTY SEXY MONEY, according to Craig Wright, that show's creator.

"We needed a journalist, and the first person who came to mind was Dan Rather," Wright says. "He's deeply respected and trusted, yet he has a subversive corona, which is perfect for the show. We're actually having him back in the new season."

The casting of Rather and other non-entertainment luminaries -- such as investor Warren Buffett on ABC's longtime sudser ALL MY CHILDREN in March -- also testifies to the blurring of lines between the real world and fictional realms.

More on Guy Burnet's return to HOLLYOAKS
Burnet told Digital Spy: "I've had so much support from the McDean fans since I left the show. It's great to have the opportunity to reprise the storyline and give viewers a resolution to the Craig and John Paul story."

Producer Bryan Kirkwood added: "The Craig and John Paul story is one of the biggest and most successful that Hollyoaks has told, winning many awards and legions of fans. I'm delighted that Guy has agreed to come back and excited to see how viewers will react to what we have in store."

"Beauty and the Beast" coming to South Africa with GL stunt coordinator
Rick Sordelet will be the Fight Director for the Disney show. Sordelet has worked on twenty-three Broadway shows including Tarzan®, Aida, Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, Titanic worldwide; also The Prince and the Pauper at the Lamb’s Theater. Rick has staged over 1,500 professional productions all over the world. He is the stunt coordinator for GUIDING LIGHT and an instructor for Yale School of Drama and The Neighborhood Playhouse. Married to actress Kathleen Kelly with three beautiful children, Kaelan, Christian and Collin.